A new jet plane at Larsen Park? Meeting tomorrow …

I wrote an article and blog post a couple of weeks back about the fate of the old F-8 jet plane at Larsen Park. It was enjoyed by kids from all over the Bay Area from 1975 until 1993, when the city said lead paint and other hazards were too expensive for a renovation.

This turned out to be a big win for the Pacific Coast Air Museum, which fixed up the jet and proudly displayed it for years. (It’s under a second renovation in a hanger now, and will go on display again.) But it was a loss for Larsen Park, which never replaced the aircraft. The playground now consists of little more than a couple of rusty swing sets.

Changes may be coming. A public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday night May 22 (tomorrow!) at 6 p.m. at 901 Wawona St., to get public input for a possible new plane in the playground. San Francisco supervisor Carmen Chu already told me that a retired aircraft is next-to-impossible in 2012, but an airplane play structure built from scratch is totally feasible.

“We want to make sure the next generation of San Francisco residents can drive by 19th Avenue and visit an F-8 type aircraft, or something that’s a nod to that time,” Chu said earlier this month.

The meeting will be in the Wawona Clubhouse. This gathering seems to be about answering questions, soliciting input and finding out who wants to help. My input: Make it look awesome, not cartoonish. As close as possible to the vibe of the military planes that inhabited the park from the 1950s to 1990s.

PETER HARTLAUB is the pop culture critic at the San Francisco Chronicle and founder/editor of The Big Event. He takes requests. Contact him at phartlaub@sfchronicle.com. Follow him on Twitter @peterhartlaub. Follow The Big Event on Facebook.